


Fleeting/Foreboding

by ordinaryxtreme



Category: Joker Game (Anime)
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Pre-Slash, episode 11 destroyed me, set before ep 11, sort of sad but not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-16
Updated: 2016-06-16
Packaged: 2018-07-15 11:23:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7220377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ordinaryxtreme/pseuds/ordinaryxtreme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sakuma and Miyoshi light fireworks in D-agency's small backyard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fleeting/Foreboding

Sakuma didn't know what got into Miyoshi. The shorter man randomly walked up to him the previous evening, but not to ask him to hang out with the other spies as usual. Instead, with an undecipherable emotion in his eyes, Miyoshi asked Sakuma to go and procure fireworks.

"Not just any fireworks," he remembered Miyoshi say. "Those stick ones that burn in your hand."

Sakuma at first thought it was one of the spy's whimsical games again, but the odd lack of Miyoshi's coy smile and the slight furrow of his thin eyebrows convinced him otherwise. But before Sakuma could even make heads or tails of the situation, the spy walked away, looking back at him once before disappearing out of sight. The glance back almost seemed like a act of desperation, though Miyoshi's ever stoic face didn't show anything.

It was just something unthinkable for someone like Miyoshi, who never once looked back, never seemed fazed by the challenges before him.

So, with that in mind, Sakuma did as he was requested. He went out that afternoon and got two whole packs, each had 10, of the aforementioned fireworks. Though when he met Miyoshi that night, it was close to midnight actually, fireworks in tow, he was met with a laugh. It didn't feel condescending though, quite a rarity coming from the spy.

"You didn't need to get so many, Sakuma-san. It's only going to be the two of us, after all," Miyoshi said. Thes last part made Sakuma's face heat up, but he quickly thought of some other topic before the spy could catch on.

"Is this even allowed?"

"Yuuki never mentioned anything about it, which means it's up to us to find out," answered Miyoshi lightly, a smirk found it's way onto his face. Now this was a familiar sight. Ironically, it made Sakuma feel less wary of him.

"Come, let's light them up in the backyard. We don't have forever," the spy beckoned, almost seeming impatient. The lieutenant hummed in agreement before following Miyoshi through the dark hall. The wooden floorboards creaked and their shoe-less footsteps resonated through the otherwise quiet hall. The short trip seemed longer as Sakuma trailed behind Miyoshi, watching his back, trying to decipher any sort of emotion from it but to no avail. Even without the vest to accentuate the curve of Miyoshi's back, Sakuma knew the spy's posture remained perfect as ever, giving nothing away.

It felt a little… lonely.

"Sakuma-san, don't just stand there. Come here," Miyoshi's voice woke the lieutenant from his thoughts. The spy was already standing in the yard, illuminated by nothing but a nearby street lamp.

"A-ah, yes."

Sakuma shivered the second he stepped outside. It was a cold night. Miyoshi didn't seem fazed by it, though.

They took a seat on the yard's only bench and silently, the lieutenant handed the spy a firework before getting one for himself and took out his lighter. Miyoshi watched quite intently as Sakuma lit his own firework. When it finally started to burn, the lieutenant gave the spy his fire to quickly light up his.

It was completely silent for a while, save for the sound of the sparks of the firework and the chirp of crickets. And despite Miyoshi being so close to him, their shoulders just a nudge away from touching, Sakuma didn't feel wary at all, no hyper sensitivity like he was used to whenever he was around any of the spies. It felt peaceful. He almost felt bad that he wanted to break the silence, just because something had been bothering him for a while. But he did anyway.

"Hey, Miyoshi," he called softly, so as to not ruin the peaceful mood. He took the spy's noncomittal hum as a sign to continue. "Why are you doing this? Are you commemorating something?"

Miyoshi gave him nothing but a side glance before he answered, "Must one always need a reason to want to light a firework?"

"W-well... no," the lieutenant answered hesitantly. With that, they drifted into another silence.

Yup, Miyoshi was definitely acting odd today. None of his usual insulting jabs, none of his signature coy smirk, not even the mischievious glint in his eyes. It was all replaced by this personality. But it didn't seem any more fake that the usual Miyoshi. Maybe there was a small part of him that was indeed true in all of his personas.

"Give me another," Miyoshi said, no demanded, impatiently holding out his hand for a new firework. Sakuma did so, also getting a new one for himself. Miyoshi used the last of the previous spark to light up the new one, Sakuma followed suit.

Again, silence. Tranquil silence. Contemplative silence.

The lieutenant observed Miyoshi, whose eyes were transfixed on the orange sparks that appeared and disppeared only in a matter of milliseconds. There was a distance in his gaze, a long, long distance. Despite that, Miyoshi almost looked beautiful, illuminated by the orange light. Sakuma couldn't stop himself from staring. Though the sight itelf was serene, it brought an unpleasant feeling of foreboding in his gut. And it made him feel like this might be the last time he'd be able to sit together with the spy like this. Like he wouldn't see him in a very long while. Or... forever.

Miyoshi, as if sensing what he was thinking, broke his train of thought. "I'm going to Germany tomorrow on a mission."

Sakuma didn't respond. More accurately, he couldn't. He just stared at the spy, wide-eyed. That foreboding… could it be true? Germany was dangerous. But Miyoshi, who was easily one of the best spies in the agency, would definitely succeed at his job. He wasn't Yuuki's favorite for nothing after all. So what in the world was this feeling?

Sakuma remained in deep thought as the fireworks reached their end. So did Miyoshi. They finally died down, bringing the surroundings back into the darkness, leaving it with nothing but the sound of the crickets chirping.

A chilling wind blew.

"How fleeting," Miyoshi's whisper brought Sakuma back into attention.

But the lieutenant didn't hear what he said, drowned out by the sound of the insects, the wind and posibly, the sound of his own thoughts.

"Sorry, what was that?"

At that, Miyoshi smiled. It was a solemn smile. One that clearly told that the spy was at peace. It was an expression Sakuma never saw on the cunning spy, but something inside him told that it was truly sincere.

"Oh, it was nothing," Miyoshi responded, louder this time, standing up and briefly stretching as Sakuma's gaze followed his movements. Graceful, as always.

"Let's go back. We need sleep."

Despite the invitation, Miyoshi didn't wait for Sakuma and just headed straight back. So typical of the ever forward-facing spy. He didn't look back at Sakuma this time. And that's how it should be.

Unable to shake the bad feeling, Sakuma tossed and turned in his bed that night.

* * *

Miyoshi never came back.

**Author's Note:**

> This episode was genius (but I still hate it). I actually started writing this fic before ep 11 came out and I wanted to make it long and contemplative but then ep 11 happened and I needed to vent my sadness quick so now we have this hurriedly written... thing.
> 
> I made it based on a Japanese fan's tweet which I fell in love with. Here -> https://twitter.com/OrdinaryXtreme/status/741044694646284288
> 
> Also I posted this from my phone so if the layout is messy I am deeply sorry *bows*


End file.
